


A Great Honor

by Just_amberr



Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Babies, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 01:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30131913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_amberr/pseuds/Just_amberr
Summary: In which Lucius asks Tom to be a godfather and Tom is confused.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Series: Tom learns How to Relationship [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2185662
Comments: 7
Kudos: 105





	A Great Honor

It had been a few more months since the great Toothpaste War, and they couldn't be happier. Though Harry and Tom did get into fights occasionally as they learned more about each other and how to communicate, their days were mostly full of warmth and love. Harry had taken on a new job, where he got more freedom to try new pastry recipes and drinks. It had been the compromise when Harry absolutely refused to work in the same building as Tom. He mostly got the job on his own, though it also happened to be one of Tom’s favorite shops outside of the office.

So Harry wasn’t at all surprised when Tom meandered his way into the shop after work, or when he took a bar seat where he could talk to Harry. He was a little surprised; however, when Tom didn’t say anything. 

This would not have struck anyone else as odd. Tom did not speak any more than necessary with anyone really. Harry’s friends being the exception, Tom really only talked openly with Harry and Lucius. And then he talked a lot, because all of his ideas and feelings were bottled up until he could get to someone he felt comfortable talking around. 

Harry didn’t want to interrupt Tom’s pensive mood, so he took his time cleaning up around the counter and making drinks for customers. After all was quiet in the shop though, Harry had no choice but to confront his silent partner. 

“Hullo,” Harry said hesitantly, gently pushing a cup of tea towards Tom. “I made you your favorite?”

Tom barely looked at him, then stared back down at the tea. “Thank you, Harry.”

Harry sighed. Tom never called him ‘Harry’ anymore - it was always ‘love’ or ‘darling’ unless something was wrong. He looked around to make sure that everyone in the shop was taken care of, then leaned forward on the counter to look at Tom directly. 

“Are you okay?” He asked Tom directly.

“Well…” Tom mused, running his finger around the rim of his teacup. “I don't know.”

Harry looked at him carefully, waiting for Tom to finish thinking about what he wanted to say. 

“Lucius...asked me something today. And I do not understand why.”

“Is it a business thing?”

“No.” Tom took a sip of his tea.

Oh, good. Harry was absolutely no help when it came to business-related things, though he tried his best. 

“Well, why don’t you tell me all about it while you try this new biscuit I made?”

Tom smirked slightly then, catching Harry’s subtle attempt at making Tom a guinea pig for more baking creations. He nodded, accepting the lavender shortbread Harry put in front of him on a plate. 

“Lucius came in to discuss his paternity leave in the next couple months.” Tom began, his voice business-like as he talked about the bit that made sense to himself. “And then he didn’t leave.”

“He just stood there, looking nervous for no reason. I’d given him the time off, but he didn’t leave. And then…”

Tom paused, taking a bite of the biscuit to procrastinate telling Harry the heart of the issue. Harry, who was interested now, refused to change the subject and just waited in silence. 

“This is really a very good biscuit, love.” Tom said charmingly. 

“None of that, Tom.” Harry laughed. “What did Lucius say?”

Tom pouted slightly, but continued. “He asked me to attend a party celebrating their child - you were asked to attend as well.”

Harry nodded. That couldn’t be the problem as Tom didn’t have that puzzled expression he always got when confronted with something he didn’t understand. 

Tom huffed, realizing he wasn’t going to get away with not talking about it. 

“Right,” He went on. “So I told Lucius we would both be present for the event, but he still didn’t leave! He just kept talking about how excited he was about having a child and how they’d recently found out it was going to be a boy.”

“‘We’re going to name him Draco’,” Tom mimicked Lucius’ lower tone of voice in a mockingly accurate sort of way. “And then he goes ‘And we want you to be the Godfather, Tom’.”

He said it again in that mocking voice, but there was an emotional edge to it that Harry did not miss. 

“Can you imagine?” Tom chuckled humorlessly. “Me - a Godfather? What could Lucius have been thinking.”

There was a shelf full of various alcohols behind Harry, and he reached for the whiskey Tom preferred. It was a time for desperate measures. 

He poured a little bit of it into Tom’s tea while he talked. “Well, do you want to be a Godfather?”

“It would be a great honor.” Tom said immediately. “But Lucius and Narcissa surely have better friends than me.”

Harry shook his head, feeling bittersweet. Tom, who had grown up in an orphanage, was always assuming people did not like him. It made a lot of sense that the thought of being considered ‘family’ to the Malfoys was so foreign to him. He’d only recently come to terms with the Weasley’s familial ways and Harry’s constant presence in his life. Even though Harry knew all of this, it never failed to make him sad. 

“Well, love,” Harry said kindly. “I think the Malfoys actually like you much more than you think.”

He waited until he had Tom’s attention before he added. 

“And I think you’d make a brilliant Godfather.”

Tom’s cheeks flushed, which he later blamed on the whiskey Harry gave him. 

“Yes, well,” Tom went back to his business tone. “I suppose I do have the best financial background for their child if something should happen to them. And I have you, so the child would have someone to teach them how to be a decent individual.”

Harry snorted. “You’re pretty decent yourself, you know.”

Tom made a noncommittal sound, drinking more of his tea to avoid answering. 

“In any case,” He continued. “We have to get a present for the child for next week’s event.”

“Alright.” Harry smirked. “Would you like me to go with you?”

Tom nodded, smiling. He was glad he didn’t have to ask, but he had absolutely no idea what to get for an infant. And it had to be perfect.

Later that evening, while Tom was in the shower, Harry got a call from Lucius. 

“Hey, Lucius!” Harry said conversationally. “How’re you doing?”

“I’m alright.” Lucius sounded stressed. “I just wanted to call and check in on Tom. I’m afraid I upset him this afternoon. I asked him a rather personal favor and he left the office without saying anything.”

Harry groaned. Tom had very conveniently left that part of the story out. 

“No, no,” Harry assured Lucius. “He’s really very pleased you asked him to be the Godfather, Lucius. He came to speak to me about it this afternoon, probably right after he left you. I’m sorry he made you worry like that though.”

Lucius laughed, sounding relieved. “Oh, good. I just wanted to make sure. We’ll be seeing you next week for the baby shower then?”

“Yes,” Harry smiled. “Is there anything in particular you both need?”

Lucius gave him a few options for things they hadn’t already purchased for baby Draco. They exchanged goodbyes, and then Harry went to wait for Tom to get out of the shower. He had his best exasperated face out when Tom came back out into their bedroom. 

“What?” Tom asked him, looking confused. 

“Tom,” He dead-panned. “Did you actually tell Lucius you would be the Godfather today?”

Tom looked very sheepish and went away to the closet to change. As he walked away, he said in a pseudo-casual tone. 

“I may or may not have been incapable of speech. Momentarily.”

“Well,” Harry called after him. “Lucius called to check on you. I told him you were alright and we’d be going to the party next week.”

Tom nodded approvingly when he came back out. Harry was so kind, fixing all of his relationship fumbles for him. 

Outtake:

“Tom!” Harry laughed exasperatedly. “I thought we agreed to only get Draco one present?”

“Harry.” Tom said seriously, his arms full to bursting with stuffed animals. “I fail to see why we cannot buy them all.”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, Tom is soft. And I hope you liked it. 
> 
> Happy Reading!


End file.
